The Washington critic., 1887-12-16
WASHINGTON CRITIC
GENERAL NEWS OF THE DAY.


At2 o'clock yesterday afternoon fire
broke out in Ilamblin's hardware store
at st. Augustine, Fla, MS the result OF
an explosion in the oil room. The
flames spread rapidly TO tho buildings
east and southeast under tho influence
of a strong wind toward the bay, and
before they could he checked destroyed
n number Of buildings on tho south side
Of the plaza near the sea-wall. The
north side of the plaza, including the old
cathedral and 81. Augustine Hotel, was
burned last spring, but the cathedral has
been restored. In the fire yesterday no
hotels were destroyed, but the total loss
on buildings and stock will aggregate
s20O,O00 ON which there is an insurance
Of about 100000.
\ long interview during the week be
tween Count Kalnoky and the German
Ambassador lsd to accord between the
two governments. Tho serious char
,ctcr of the situation has never been UNI
ierestimatcd in Austrian official circles
The Government has never been un-
mindful of the duties which the German
alliance imposes, and in the face Of the
Russian armnmcnls the authorities have
never fora II moment been idle; but the
Government is anxious to avoid as long
rs possible measures capable of being in-
terprctcd by Russia as acts of provoca-
tion. Preparations are complete for the
dispatch OF rc-enforcemcnts of cavalry
10 tialicia in the event of fresh move
mcnts of Russian troops. The erection
uf huts is now proceeding actively along
II l,,, ..f ln Nyhigh
been lying in readiness since the spring
il being utilized, and accommodations
for re.cnforcemcnts viii soon be pro-
,ided.
The annual address before tho Ala
ba,na State Bar Association was de-
livered by Judge John +. Dillon of New
York yesterday, his subject being "a
Century Of American Law" lie said
Blackstonc's Commentaries faithfully
Inirrorod American and English law of
u century ago. He noticed the follow
ing changes IN American law: Abolish
nent of Imprisonment for debt; The lib
cral homestead laws, by which 500
heads of families had taken M more
than 100000, 900 acres of land; the llD-
cral law relative 10 women, reduction Of
capital oifcnses from 200 TO in England
and . in America, adoption of codes and
abolition of common law practice, pd-
mission of all parties as competent wit
nesses, and the great growth of cor
porations and corporation laws. He
then alluded to the growth OF legal lit
craturc in this country.
From certain movements OF gentle
men who are well posted, itappears that
there is being secretly organized an i'm
mense scheme 10 make raid on Okla
homa in early spring. This movement
extends over two or three States, the ar
rangement being that the way to open
the Indian Territory to settlement is to
open it. They say that hundred
thousand men will go into the Territory
at given date, and that the Govern
ment has not enough troops to keep
them out. One of the leaders of the
scheme lives ut III Dorado, Kan, and
says they mean business frem now on.
The steamship City ofsydney arrived
yesterday at San Francisco from Hong
Kong and Yokohama. Chinese papers
give details Of disaster occasioned by
the Yellow River oveflowing its banks in
the Province of IIonau, and describe it
as one Of the most appalling occurrences
in loss of life and property recorded in
recent times. The river broke its banks
on the evening of September 2s, south
west of the city of Chinghow, and not
only completely inundated that city,
but also ten other populous cities. The
whole area is now u raging sea, 10 to sc
feet deep, where it was once II densely
populated and rich plain. The former
bed of the Yellow River is now dry, and
the present lake was the bed of the
river centuries ago. The loss of life j.
incalculable, and the statement is made
by missionaries that millions of Chinese
are homeless and starving.